


Im sorry, boot

by holdmenow



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I love him, Police life, chenford, i just want to know more about tim bradford okay?, i love chenford, trusting your partner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:47:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29051625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdmenow/pseuds/holdmenow
Summary: Officer Tim Bradford has a rough week, and goes to tell his partner why
Relationships: Tim Bradford & Lucy Chen
Kudos: 30





	Im sorry, boot

Her shift had ended about two hours ago. She was at home, sitting in her couch with the television on, watching her favorite fiction program, a cup of hot coffee in hand, listening to the heavy rain outside at times, when someone knocked on her door. Jackson had gone on a date with Sterling so Lucy was alone, so she went carefully to the door and looked through the door knob.

She was surprised to see her TO on the other side of the door. It hadn't been a good week and she didn't feel like seeing him at the time (come on, it was a Saturday night), but if Tim was drenched and at the door of her apartment, that really wasn't a good thing. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Seeing the state Tim was in, she decided that something bad had definitely happened. He was with his hands in his pockets, his posture tense and his gaze glued to the floor. She could see in his face a hint of nerves and… fear. God, something was seriously wrong. "Tim?"

"Hi.." he said looking at her sideways. "Could you… I'm sorry to interrupt your Saturday, I just wanted…" the man fidgeted. Lucy, seeing him so out of his mind nodded, leaving all anger that she might have felt up to that moment, out of herself. "Come on in"

Tim nodded and made his way into the apartment. He reached the kitchen counter and stood still, almost asking permission to continue walking. "Get comfortable". Her TO took off his jacket and hung it on one of the chairs on the island, while Lucy went to the bathroom to get a towel to dry his head. "Here, you are soaked"; the man grabbed the towel muttering a 'thank you' and dried his hair. Seconds later, Tim was staring at the towel as if it were the most wonderful thing in the world. "Tim, what are you doing here?" Officer Chen asked him. She crossed her arms and looked at him seriously.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have come. I'm going to…” he said as he took his jacket back but Lucy stopped him.

“No, you came here for something. And after the week you had, I guess it's talking. So tell me. What's going on? This isn’t you"

"Boot ..."

"My name is Lucy, not boot, Tim."

Tim nodded. "You're right. I…” he exhaled, tired of a whole week of stress and nerves, and of trying to appear to be the strong man, the determined and dedicated policeman but it was impossible. All that weight is on one shoulders at this very moment, in front of his rookie, Officer Chen, his Lucy. “It was not a good week, you’re right. And I wanted to apologize for that. I promise the next shift will be different. I promise…"

"But you still don't tell me what's going on" she said, looking at him seriously. “You know, I feel like… you don't trust me, not really. You don't trust me as a cop, as your partner ... as your friend. I don't know what you want from me anymore, Tim. I can't just be nothing, I'm trying, but you don't give me a chance " Tim was still not looking at her, still staring at the floor as if he were a child who was being scolded. Lucy couldn't believe her TO didn't react. "Do you want me to count all the things you did in these seven days?" she said, moving closer and trying to get him to look at her. "Okay, fine. You got so drunk that you ended up getting into a fight at the bar; you drank so much one night that you came to the station hungover. You were completely irresponsible at work, putting us in danger with that drug-dealing gang. You put me in command of a car chase and then you criticized every single thing I did wrong, because I didn't really know. And every time I wanted to get closer and talk about you, you told me not to get involved in your business"

Each of the things Lucy mentioned made Tim realize all the harm he had caused by not speaking. But the reality was that it hadn’t only been a week that he had not talked about it, it was years. Changing careers as a young man, problems with his father, then marrying Isabel young, and problems with her addiction; and that, they were only a part of the whole thing. "I mean, if you wanted me to learn what it was like to be a bad cop, you did it, but in the worst possible way." Tim exhaled and sat defeated in one of the chairs at the counter. He looked at her intensely for a few seconds. He reminded himself why he had come to see her. He needed to feel safe, he needed to be told that everything was going to be okay. And she was that, if he let her. That rookie fire, which she always carried with her, always burning. He knew perfectly well that it was part of her and that made her very special, more special than any other rookie he had worked with. He looked down at a flowerpot on the table and said "Carl Thomson"

"Who?"

"Carl Thomson, the man whose tv was stolen?"

"Yes, I remember. The group of guys who played a prank on him. We got it back, the tv. What about him?"

“I know him, since I was a kid. He deserved to have his tv stolen,” he said reluctantly.

"Okay, I'm not following you, what does that have to do with everything that happened?"

"Seeing him brought back memories ... not very pleasant, to say the least"

"What memories?" Lucy asked sitting in front of him, a little concern ringing in her voice.

"From high school. He was a substitute physical education teacher; at that time I played football and you know… football is a contact sport” he said inhaling and exhaling, and looking at his hands he added,“ it was too much contact with him ”

“God, that asshole… I'm sorry. They should steal his tv again.” Tim smiled and Lucy realized she hadn't done it all week. "How old were you when ...?"

"Sixteen; you know? It was a long time ago but it feels like yesterday ... I don't understand why, I was supposed to be over it "

"Did you ever tell someone?" she asked and Tim shook his head. “So it makes sense. When you speak about the subject for the first time, you relive all the emotions and feelings involved in the event "

"You are smart, boot"

"Tim ... I'm very sorry about what happened, there is no justification for that"

"One might think that after being in the army, I mean have seen and lived horrible things but nothing compares to that" Lucy got up from the chair and went towards him to hug him. "I'm really sorry. And I'm sorry I told you that you don't trust me "

"You know if I do, I just ..."

"Yes I know. Your personal life is none of my business” and they both laughed. "Hey" he said looking at him "do you want a cup of coffee accompanied by the best police tv show in the world?"

"Are you sure it's the best? Jackson doesn't think the same ”

“Hey… okay, it has it’s things, but it's fun. Go sit on the couch, I'll make the coffee” Tim nodded and went to sit down. He didn't want to admit it, but talking to Lucy had made him feel better and that wasn't good, not after accepting that he was falling in love with her. Her little grimaces, her hair, her eyes, her smile. Hell, he wanted to talk to her about it, but it wasn't going to be good for her career. She was a very good cop to end up dating her TO so soon. "Here you go," Lucy said, handing over his cup of coffee and sat next to him. Next, her focus was on the TV, commenting on everything that was happening on the show. And Tim couldn't stop looking at her and smiling.

At what moment he had fallen for her he didn’t know, but he did not regret it. From time to time he watched the program to be able to make a comment as well, but the truth was that he only cared about being close to her. At some point she began to look at him, as if trying to say something but she didn’t dare. "Come on say it"

"I'm sorry, it’s just that ... why did you never say anything? Was it out of fear or ... ”Lucy asked, turning off the TV and directing all her attention purely and exclusively towards him.

“I don't think they would have believed me. The relationship with my parents is not… the best. My father is not the most loving guy in the world. When I told him that I was going to leave the team to join the army… let's just say that his disappointment was felt for a long time. So…"

“I need to say this, okay?… it wasn't your fault, you know that, right? You didn't provoke it, you didn't do anything wrong, you just wanted to play soccer "

"Yes, I know ... although it doesn't make it easier"

"No, of course not. You should talk to a professional, I think it would be good for you "

"I don't know boot, for now I just want to forget it again"

“Well, if you change your mind, you should know I'm here to support you. Anything you need…"

“Thank you, for listening. And I'm sorry, for everything I put you through this week. My behavior was not acceptable and… "

“Your behavior was what was expected in the situation you were going through, don't worry. Luckily, you have an amazing partner who covered your butt the whole time. Although I'm going to ask for some beers soon.” They both laughed. And Tim knew he should go, but he didn't want to ... With some extra will, he got up from the chair ready to take his jacket when Lucy spoke to him “Hey, it's still raining and I don't want you to be alone. How about some pizzas? You can choose a movie or whatever you want to watch. Except ... unless you really want to leave, in that case I'm not going to ... "

"Boot, please no pineapple," he said smiling.

“Okay, okay, no pineapple. Who likes pineapple pizza anyway?" Tim smiled as the officer took her cell phone to order food.

_His Lucy._

**Author's Note:**

> if you got to this note, thank you. I don't own The Rookie, just playing around.


End file.
